


People are Liars

by Ricks395



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, One Shot, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-16
Updated: 2017-02-16
Packaged: 2018-09-25 00:54:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9795083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ricks395/pseuds/Ricks395
Summary: Keith has lost a lot of people in life. Shiro was there through it all. Until he wasn't.





	

Keith glared at the instructor at the front of the room. He scribbled half assed note and tried his best to pay attention. But, if he was being real he knew most of this from training under Shiro for so long.

“Kogane!” He jumped at the harsh sound of his name from the front of the room.

“Sir.” He growled tursly.

“What did Cadet Mclaine just ask me?” The old man barked, motioning to a kid in the second row.

He tensed. Of course he had zoned out during the one moment the instructor would call him out on it. He took only a moment to think and then gave up. “I don’t know. Sir.”

The instructor’s face darkened and he pointed at the door. “Admiral's office. Now.”

Keith sighed, collected up his things, and left the room. He took the long walk slowly. This wasn’t his first rodeo.

As he rounded almost the last corner he ran nearly head first into the admiral.

They were both disgruntled and the group that had been walking with the admiral all paused in surprise.

“Kogane! What are you doing? You should be in class!” The admiral snapped and then Keith saw a change in him. His features went from angry to worried. “How did the word get out so quickly?”

The cadet’s brow furrowed and he looked at the man he had gotten very familiar with carefully. “Drill Sergeant Anders sent me to see you because I wasn’t paying attention in class again.”

The admiral’s face fell and he shook his head. “We’ll deal with that later. Come into my office. You all need to get to work. We have our plans now get them moving.”

The group of people that were all holding clipboards and folders and typing on work pads all gave serious nods and “yes sir”s before joggin off down the halls.

Keith followed the commanding officer into his office and felt his nerves tingle as the man closed the door and motioned for the boy to sit. He knew this look. This was a look similar to that of Shiro when he told him about his father.

\-----------

Keith was laughing a chasing one of the neighbor kids. They had been playing in the backyard for hours. Both desperately trying to get Shiro’s attention with their loud noises and laughs.

Shiro was four years older, so sixteen at the time. He always set aside time for the neighborhood kids. And Keith had the privilege of sleeping over at Shiro’s house a lot. Of course, most people wouldn’t consider the little dark haired boy’s father was in the hospital for cancer treatments and his mother had disappeared a long time ago. But, he tended to look on the bright side of things. His dad would get better soon and someday he might see his mom again.

His dad had always said things like “I know your mom really misses us.” And “I can’t wait till your ma comes back and takes you away from this town. I know she will.”

That day, though, he would learn that his father had not always told the truth.

The phone rang inside and Keith turned a hopeful ear to the door. He continued to toss the ball with the other boy. He waited, hoping Shiro’s father would call him in to talk to his dad. This was around the right time of day, maybe a little early. He had been gone for about a week now. He was in the intense kind of chemo that made him too toxic to be around young people.

Keith didn’t mind though, as long as he got to talk to him it was like they weren’t even apart.

“Hey, Keith, we need to talk.” Shiro said, trying to keep a smile on his face. “We’ll see you tomorrow maybe, okay pal.”

The other neighborhood boy gave Keith an annoyed look and then waved and ran off home.

“What’s up Shiro?” The younger boy asked, excited to hang out with his older friend.

“Come inside and get some water.” Shiro said, leading him inside.

Soon they were seated across from each other at the breakfast bar, each with a glass of koolaid.

“So, what’s going on Shiro?” Keith was getting antsy, he could tell Shiro was acting weird.

“Keith, sometimes-” Shiro was stumbling for words. “Look, Keith, you’ll always have a home here.”

“Is your dad mad at me? Am I going to stay with someone else?” Keith’s stomach dropped. His aunt had promised he could stay there as long as his dad needed to, but her husband had never really been fond of the idea of another mouth to feed.

“No! No, Keith!” Shiro said, quickly reaching a hand out to squeeze Keith’s wrist. “A lot of things are about to change in your life. I told my parents I wanted to be the one to tell you because- well, my dad’s not good at emotions and my mom is struggling a little with saying anything to anyone.”

“What happened?” A pit was forming in Keith’s stomach.

“Well, buddy, we just got a call from the hospital and-”

Keith cut him off with a yell. “No! My dad promised he was gonna get better! He said he would be home soon!”

“Please. Keith. The doctors said they did everything they could.” Shiro reached his hand out.

The younger boy pulled away. “No! NO! NO!”

“He’s gone, Keith, he’s gone. I’m sorry.” Shiro murmured.

Keith slammed his chair away from the bar and jumped off it. “I hate you! You’re lying! I don’t want to talk to you ever again!”

\-----------

“Shiro’s dead isn’t he?” Keith said calmly and quietly.

“He’s missing in action right now. The whole Kerberos crew is. If we don’t find any traces of a signal and their craft doesn’t come into orbit within the next month. All three of them will be pronounced dead. Any missions that are currently in the works have been put on hold and we’ve got every person available trying to find signs of them.”

Keith nodded, his attitude completely calm. “May I be dismissed, Sir?”

“You’re free to go. Take the next day or so to yourself. I’ll keep you updated as much as I can.” The man stood and opened the door for Keith, his look concerned. “Cadet, if you need anything just let me know.”

Keith nodded, “Thank you Sir.”  
He moved down the hall calmly at first. Then he took the few turns that Shiro had taught him. Soon he was at a light jog and then an intense sprint. He passed people and ignored them. He found the door to the maintenance room, slid past the pieces of machinery. He climbed the ladder in the back, walked the small passage and then climbed the taller ladder at the end. It took him a minute to get to the top. His foot slipped once, he was clumsy in his quick climbing to the top. Finally he reached the hatch and climbed out to find the old lawn chairs Shiro had somehow snuck up on top of the roof with his buddy Matt.

He flopped into one of them, the cool breeze ruffling his long hair. He finally started sobbing. His chest shaking. He couldn’t handle it. Couldn’t handle that feeling again. He looked out toward the edge of the roof, his vision blurred from the tears. The thought was fleeting. An easy high dive. But, he swallowed it and thought about how upset his father and Shiro would be if he ever did that.

“I’m not getting my hopes up,Shiro.” Keith said to the sky between sobs. “But, you better make it home.”

**Author's Note:**

> This was a vent piece after getting angry at a professor and then just generally upset.
> 
> Any kudos, comments, or bookmarks are greatly appreciated!!!!!


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